Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Dear Parents,
This week saw the return of our IASAS athletes from Bangkok and Jakarta. Although there
was a shortage of medals this time, I have been extremely pleased to hear the reports of
their levels of participation and sportsmanship throughout the tournament. Well done to
all the athletes and coaches, we are very proud of you. Mr. Brown enjoyed the soccer
competition in Jakarta and has extended his stay for an extra couple of days in order to
chair the meeting of the IASAS Governing Body – he will return to Manila this weekend and
be back in school on Monday.
Again, many thanks for all the positive feedback on the new online Parent Teacher
Conference (PTC) scheduling system. Just to remind you all that from Monday October
11 t h , you will have the opportunity to logon for a second time and reserve up to 4 more
conferences (making a total of 8) to see the remaining teachers for your son/daughter
(pending availability).
Two weeks ago, we had two representatives from FCD (Freedom from Chemical
Dependency) here in school for the entire week to educate our middle and high school
community on the topic of drugs – both legal and illegal – both socially acceptable and
taboo. During their visit they managed to meet with all of our grade 9 students on 2 or 3
occasions and the rest of our high school student body at least once. They left with some
interesting comments regarding their discussions with our students and I will be reporting
some of their feedback to parents during the high school Parent Coffee morning next
Tuesday, October 12 t h at 9.30am in the Little Theater.
At the same Parent Coffee morning next week, our new guidance dynamic duo of Steve
Ayling and Doug McQueen will be sharing their thoughts and ideas on how to broach the
subject of Grades with your child through an interactive workshop. Should they be used
as a carrot or a stick or simply an indication of understanding? Are they as important to
students as they are to parents (or vice versa)? In the upcoming PTC's, what questions
could you ask the teachers regarding the development of your child’s learning and
demonstrated understanding as reflected by the grade for that subject?
Kind Regards,
Mike Dickinson
High School Assistant Principal
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HS Calendar: Invitation to HS Parent Coffee:
Monday, October 11
All parents are invited to come the the High School Parent
Tuesday, October 12: Coffee….
HS Parent Coffee 9.30 – 11.00 am (Little Theater)
ISSBA meeting with Councils (Room 1057) When: Tuesday, October 12
Where: Little Theater
Wednesday, October 13: Time: 9:30 – 11:00 am
Student Late Start
AGENDA FOR PARENT COFFEE:
Thursday, October 14:
HS Play 7.00 pm (Fine Arts Theater) 1. Update on HS Play and ISM 90th Anniversary events by
Vicki Close, Performing Arts Director.
Friday, October 15:
HS Play 7.00 pm (Fine Arts Theater) 2. Update on 1st season IASAS by Mark Pekin, Athletics
Director.
Saturday, October 16: 3. Freedom from Chemical Dependency FCD feedback of
Saturday Service counselors.
PSAT 8.00 am – 1.00 pm (HS Gym)
HS Play 3.00pm & 7.00 pm (Fine Arts Theater) 4. Parent Teacher Conference 2010.
Upcoming Events: 5. “Grades and your child” Talk given by Counselors Steve
October 18‐19: Parent Teacher Conferences Ayling and Doug McQueen.
October 21: HS Sports Awards Dinner
October 22: Filipiniana
October 25 – November 2: SCHOOL HOLIDAY
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PSAT REGISTRATION:
Please consider registering for the PSAT that will be held at ISM on Saturday October 16. This test is only offered
once a year! We STRONGLY recommend that all sophomores and juniors take this exam as a way to begin
preparation for the SAT.
Registering for the PSAT is simple—go to the cashier’s office and pay USD 18. Be sure to pick up the PSAT review
booklet along with your receipt. The registration deadline is Friday October 8!
If you want more information about the PSAT, then come see your counselor and/or go to the blog post with the
presentation from the September 8 assembly: http://guidance.ism-online.org/2010/09/08/gr-10-assembly-on-
psatfamily-connection/
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Extending past this, Locals 2010 also saw the near‐diminishment of normal note passing — when debates are going on,
delegates are not allowed speak to one another hence they have to use notes to communicate with another. Conventionally,
small pieces of paper were used however this year saw the introduction of “Note‐Skyping”. Delegates created their own
Skype addresses and Skype became the platform of all communication between delegates. Not only did it save valuable
paper but also increased efficiency of communication arguably correlating to better debates.
With all these changes taking place, it was only human nature to be skeptical about the success of Locals 2010; whether it was
concerns about “Note‐Skyping” or the creation of an International Court of Justice. However, by the end of the Locals
conference, all participants, the delegates and the advisors, could attest that the Locals 2010 was the finest in its history. The
level of debate was superior, with delegations representing their states to the word and delivering eloquently and
masterfully orated speeches. Resolutions were comprehensive reflecting a nation’s policy on the issue, some arguably at the
standard of actual United Nation resolutions. It was a conference that all participating students will never forget and those
luckily enough to return are eagerly awaiting next year, when we get to host again.
But even now, Locals’ growth does not end here. The latest chapter has only opened a door to a wide range of possibilities
ranging from exciting new opportunities for inter‐school cooperation to modeling more organs of the United Nations. As it
becomes more popular amongst international and local schools it may even become recognized as a fully fledged conference
for schools all across the Philippines, ambitiously the region and then globally, in the process challenging the dominant MUN
conferences of the nation. Who knows, in the future, Locals may even be one of the prestigious conferences delegates have
to “try out” for in order to attend, as it certainly now meets the standards set by such conferences. Maybe we can globalize
our GreenMUN vision!
Akshar Bonu
MUN Delegate for the DPRK
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FROM THE ATAC OFFICE:
ISTA FESTIVAL:
ISM is excited to be hosting this year’s ISTA Middle School Theatre Festival! The International Schools Theatre
Association (ISTA) facilitates two MS festivals each year in Asia, which provide an amazing opportunity for
international students from around the world to engage in new theatrical experiences and to develop skills that will
deepen their passion for performance. As a school, ISM has been a proud supporter and participator of ISTA, and we
now have the opportunity to give the participants an experience they will never forget! We will be hosting the first ever
Musical Theatre ISTA festival, and we are very excited about welcoming other international students to the Philippines
and to our wonderful school.
The ISM ISTA Festival will take place November 19-21 (Friday to Sunday), and will involve as many as 100 students
from other countries, as well as our own ISM participants. As with any event, the whole ISM community has the
opportunity to get involved in this Middle School event. The most significant way for the ISM community to get
involved is to provide housing for the visiting students. If you are able to host some students, you may contact the
ATAC Office and/or the Fine Arts Office at badiangoj@ismanila.org and/or talense@ismanila.org . Most guests will
arrive on November 18th and will depart on either November 21st or 22nd. If you would like to help out with
organization or facilitation during the ISTA Festival, you may also contact Vicki Close in the Fine Arts Office
(closev@ismanila.org) for more details on how you can help.
We look forward to this fantastic event, and this excellent opportunity for ISM to “show Manila proud”!
Vicki Close John Mulhall Mark Pekin
Performing Arts Director MS Drama Faculty ATAC Director
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FROM THE FINE ARTS OFFICE:
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FROM THE COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE:
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